Supporting device for music instrument

ABSTRACT

A handrest for musical instruments includes a fastening loop attached to the instrument, a handrest handle attached to the fastening loop that shifts the weight of the instrument from the player&#39;s thumb to the fold between the player&#39;s thumb and index finger, the handrest handle including an upper end for resting on the players fold, a palm portion extending downwardly from the upper end for contacting the player&#39;s palm, and a turning joint at a plam point of the lower palm portion, the palm point spaces downwardly from the upper end.

BACKGROUND AND FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a handrest intended to facilitate the supportof woodwind instruments and similar objects. Previously the weight ofthe instrument used to be supported by the tip of the thumb/the edge ofthe thumb tip. A belt passing behind the player's neck was ed to carryheavier instruments, such as for instance a saxo-phone.

Due to the conventional manner of supporting without auxiliary means,the tendon between the thumb and the wrist was exposed to strain,resulting in tenosynovitis. The edge of the thumb tip tended to grow acallus and started developing a tumour in the rubbed area.

When a handrest is used, the weight of the instrument is shifted fromthe thumb to the fold between the thumb and the index finger. Thisreduces the strain on the sheath of the tendon, and the thumb will nolonger grow a callus. This allows longer practicing periods and morerapid achievements, while providing more sensitive fingering techniques.

The handrest of the invention is characterised in having a taming jointat the point of the palm, allowing adjustment of the instrument positionby means of adjusting members with a view to optimal hand trajectoriesfor different playing styles and hands.

The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the handrest viewed from the user's right-hand side

FIG. 2 shows the handrest from the user's view

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTIONBRIEF SUMMARY OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

One embodiment of the present invention comprises a fastening loop forattaching an instrument to a handrest handle. The handrest handleattaches to the fastening loop and shifts the weight of the instrumentfrom the player's thumb to the fold between the player's thumb and indexfinger. This embodiment of the present invention is characterized inthat the handle includes an upper end for resting on the player's fold,and a palm portion extending downwardly from the upper end forcontacting the player's palm. A turning joint is attached to the lowerpalm portion of the handrest thereby allowing the instrument position tobe adjusted by way of adjusting members to achieve optimal handtrajectories for different players.

The handrest is fastened to the object to be supported by means of afastening loop 1 which is tightened around the object. The fasteningloop varies in size as a function of the diameter of the instrument.Attached to the fastening ring is a counterbalance support 2, whichallows the balance to be maintained during open G fingering. Attached tothe fastening loop, there is also a cylindrical part 3, orienteddownwardly in the axial direction of the fastening loop and having atypical length in the range from 8 to 10 cm, which allows verticaladjustment of the handrest by means of a slide rail, a telescopic memberor similar, in order to provide optimal height for different hand sizesrelative to the instrument. The instrument comprises a second, shortercylindrical part 4, connected over a turning joint at angles of 90° tothe previous part 3, so that the handrest distance can be adjusted bymeans of a slide rail, a telescopic member or the like, in order toprovide the optimal distance for different finger lengths. Part 4 isconnected over a turning joint to a spacer 5. With the turning joint islocked into different positions, the distance caused by rotation can becontrolled. The handle part 6 comprises an upper end 8 for supportingthe weight of the handrest and instrument on the player's fold betweenthe index finder and thumb, and a palm portion 9 extending from theupper end for contacting the player's palm. The spacer 5 fastens thepart 4 to a palm point 7 located on the palm portion of the handle part6 of the handrest in a downwardly spaced relationship from the upperend. The spacer 5 allows adjustment of the height and angle of the palmpoint 7 with a view to optimal trajectories for different playing stylesand hands. The handle part 6 has been given a shape that fits into thehand, and it is typically made of plastic. The upper end is supported inthe fold between the player's thumb and index finger, shifting theweight of the instrument to this area, while the portion contacts theplayer's palm.

What is claimed is:
 1. A handrest for musical instruments, comprising afastening loop attached to the instrument and a handrest handle, whichis attached to the fastening loop and shifts the weight of theinstrument from a player's thumb to the fold between the player's thumband index finger, characterised in that the handrest handle includes anupper end for resting on the player's fold, and a palm portion extendingdownwardly from the upper end for contacting the player's palm, thehandrest further including a turning joint at a palm point of the palmportion, allowing the instrument position to be adjusted by means ofadjusting members with a view to optimal hand trajectories for differentplaying styles and hands, the palm point spaced downwardly from theupper end.
 2. A handrest as defined in claim 1, characterised in that atelescopic vertical control member, which allows substantially verticaladjustment for different hand sizes, is provided between the fasteningloop and the handrest handle part.
 3. A handrest as defined in claim 1,characterised in that a telescopic distance control member, which allowsdistance control for different finger lengths, is provided between thefastening loop and the handrest handle part.
 4. A handrest as defined inclaim 1, characterised in that it allows for rotation control by meansof a turning joint between the telescopic distance control member andspacer with a view to distance control.
 5. A handrest as defined inclaim 1, characterised in that it allows for control of the height andthe angle of the palm point by means of the spacer with a view tooptimal trajectories for different playing styles and hands.